- Fires in tunnels are known to lead to explosive spalling of the tunnel linings, mainly due to rapid expansion of water as a result of vaporization in the concrete. In order to determine water content and assess fire safety within tunnel linings a novel measurement system has been developed. The development process includes the calibration of the sensor system via both direct and indirect approaches. This work compares both calibration methods and shows the differences that can occur due to measurement uncertainty. This work presents the measured water content within the Inntal tunnel, Austria as a representative tunnel from a total of four investigated tunnels. The obtained water content is compared to that found in the literature, and recommendations for practical work in terms of fire safety is given.